Islington Council is considering a trial of fortnightly collections for residual waste as part of its efforts to meet ambitious recycling targets.
The proposal was discussed at an Executive meeting on Thursday, 30 July 2026, during the review of the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee's report on Household Recycling and Waste Reduction. The council aims to reach a 40% recycling target by 2030, a significant increase from the current rate of just over 35%.
Councillor Ruth Hayes raised concerns about concrete measures to achieve the 2030 recycling goal and put forward the idea of trialling fortnightly residual waste collection for street properties. She suggested this could reduce the demand for weekly collections by removing the incentive to separate recyclables from general waste.
Councillor Rowena Champion, Executive Member for Climate, Environment & Transport, acknowledged the proposal. She stated that while the council had explored the idea extensively, including in relation to the Mayor of London's objectives, the borough's unique makeup presented challenges for practical implementation without conflicting with other priorities. However, she agreed to discuss the feasibility of the trial further with Councillor Hayes.
During the discussion, Councillor Champion also highlighted that the council's manifesto commits to maintaining weekly collections of general waste. She expressed concerns that a move to fortnightly collections could potentially lead to increased instances of fly-tipping and the accumulation of waste on streets.
The full details of the report and the meeting can be found in the public reports pack for the Executive meeting on 30 July 2026. Public reports pack 30th-Jul-2026 18.00 Executive
